The invention concerns an optical connecting housing for optical transmission lines, as well as a connecting method.
The invention is used for short-distance optical connections between optical transmission lines, e.g. beam waveguides, fibers, leads, cables, or an optical transmission line with optical converters, e.g. transmitter modules and receiver modules.
Different types of connectors exist for the detachable connection of optical transmission lines or for connecting these lines to optical converters. Inserting a plug pin 1 into a guide sleeve 2 determines the lateral positioning and the axial alignment of the beam axis for the optical transmission line, wherein the jacket surface of the sleeve serves to guide and align the plug pin and the optical transmission line 3 (FIG. 1), which is arranged in its center. The plug pin must be inserted with a sufficient length into the sleeve to ensure a good axial guidance. Connectors of this type must have an additional free space for joining or separating this connection, so that the pin can be inserted into or pulled from the sleeve and the optical transmission line can be deflected lengthwise and to the side, taking into consideration the permissible curvature radius of the optical transmission line.
Furthermore, lens-type connectors with expanded parallel beam are known, for which a short free beam distance is bridged between the optical transmission lines inside the guide sleeve. In order to avoid coupling losses caused by the expanded bundle of light rays exiting the optical transmission line, collimation lenses are arranged between the line ends, in such a way that parallel light bundles bridge the free beam distance.
It is the object of the invention to provide a connecting housing for optical transmission lines, which housing has a short, compact structural design, as well as to specify a method for the simple and flexible connecting and separating of the optical transmission lines.